Rascal Flatts are working alongside their good friend Blake Shelton during the upcoming season of The Voice. The trio's Jay DeMarcus, Gary LeVox and Joe Don Rooney are serving as mentors for Team Blake during Season 13 and say that appearing on the hit TV show was a chance to reconnect with their good friend, who first joined them on their Me & My Gang Tour more than a decade ago.

"It was so much fun to be in there with Blake, because we know him so well," DeMarcus shared with The Boot and other reporters at a recent media event. "He spent the better part of almost two years on the road with us. We know each other’s humor; we know each other’s inside jokes.

"It was funny: After the second day of filming, the entire cast and the producers are walking up going, ‘We wish we had one season with just the four of you guys. This would be one of the best things ever,’" DeMarcus adds. "It was very natural; there was nothing forced about it. As you can imagine, it was such a blast to be not only together with him but in that environment."

The Flatts have plenty of positive things to say about Shelton, who takes his job as a coach on The Voice quite seriously.

Unforgettable Country Moments From The Voice

"It was cool to see Blake, because he’s kind of like the papa bear; he really is. And he really cares, passionately, about each person on his team. He wants everybody to win," LeVox boasts. "One of the segments that we did was the duo round, the battle round, so somebody’s going to have to be told no. And that’s tough to be sitting there, talking and giving advice to both people that are standing side by side, on the same team, getting ready to battle each other ... That’s tough because you gain such a rapport with these people and with these kids. They’re super talented, and Blake picked them for a reason."

"He’s so laid back about the whole process," Rooney says. "He’s so witty and so funny and so ridiculous; some of the things he says are just so over the top."

Although the Flatts aren't planning to become permanent members of The Voice, they are appreciative of the opportunity.

"The process was so neat," Rooney says. "When it came time to be serious, [Shelton] had some amazing things to say to these young, inspiring artists. I think it also inspired us to dig deep ... Words are powerful. So it was a really great experience. I really loved it. Blake’s got a great gig."

Season 13 of The Voice is scheduled to kick off on Sept. 25. The TV singing competition airs on NBC.